Young Adult Book Reading Challenges discussion

What do you think now that you are done? Would you recommend this book to others?

Yes ... loved it. Every second of it. I was captivated by the cover and then the tension made me fly through the story. I am eager to see where this storyline travels.

I don't know. It depends on the person. I flew through the story, but it was at time a little contrived (most romances are) and the angel lore underexplained which means I didn't quite buy/understand the ending (the climax scene in the gym). But it was fun, the sexual tension was there, and the cover was worth it.

Here is a cute little fan site:

http://www.fallenarchangel.com/

HUSH HUSH was officially released with an ending a little different than the ARC (Advance Reader Copy). By popular request and with Becca's OK, here's the ARC ending.

Spoiler Warning! If you haven't read the book yet, you probably don't want to read this!!!!







"I thought you had a different job," said Mom. "I thought you bussed tables at the Borderline."

"I got a new job." Patch locked eyes with me, and I warmed in a lot of places. In fact I was dangerously
close to feverish. "In security." he said.

:). I liked a lot of Patch's lines. Why was that taken out? It's a great line.

I really disliked the book and had a really hard time finishing it (due to constant eye rolling). I expect that readers who like romance which is very light on mythology or common sense but heavy on sexual foreplay and such will find this book enjoyable. I would not recommend this book to those who are looking for quality YA literature.

I doubt I would recommend this to anyone. I agree with Tatiana (how rare is that, T?), but I wonder if even the sex-heavy readers will like this. I mean, they may like the tension, but the rest of the story is still there, getting in the way. Nora is one of the most frustrating characters I've ever read. And everyone's a villain! It was just overkill. I kept seeing glimpses of how this could have been a great book if Fitzpatrick had done things differently or just thought things out more, really analyzed the decisions she was making.
Sorry, all you folks you ♥ it; I normally agree, at least in some respects, but I just couldn't this time.

I didn't like this book at all. Read less than half of it. I read the beginning and the end. The characters and the situations made me crazy. Calling in a bomb threat as a diversion??? In my state, that's a felony. Schools take it very seriously. And there are no repercussions!? And don't get me started on the stalking!
So-- not my thing!

Eh, this book was okay. It didn't live up to it's cover and had the potential to be so much more. Patch was pretty steamy, and I thought Nora was portrayed rather well, but her interactions with Vee (who I despised) and her willingness to die for Patch, who she barely knew, seemd a bit redonk to me. Overall, I enjoyed it, but have no desire to read the sequel.

It was an okay-ish book but considering the hype it was a huge letdown. And I personally didn't find Patch attractive at all, and Vee was just stupid.

I am in complete and utter agreement with you, Heather.

It took me a couple chapters to get into the book and then I couldn't put it down. It definitely wasn't the best book I've ever read, but it was fun. I agree things could have been changed to make it better, but I don't feel like I wasted my time reading it and I look forward to seeing how the story continues.

I just didn't get the point of the book. What is the meaning? Or does it just not have a meaning?

I really liked it. I would recommend it definitely and am looking forward to Crescendo.

I thought it was a okay


---SPOILER!!------


---SPOILER!!------



Something I wasn't quite sure of when reading the book,

Since jules is chauncy and nora is a decendant of him wouldn't that mean when patch posessed his body and impregnated women enough each year for two weeks to spread the nephilm genes?

This book definitely didn't lived up to my high expectations (from all the excellent reviews it got everywhere). For one, the plot turned out to not be as 3-dimensional as I expected, and the lead male character less fascinating than everyone claimed. Patch and Nora were like Bella and Edward with better repartee...but the same old contrived love story. I thought the chemistry and sexual tension in this book was somewhat amateurish. I also thought characterization could have been better fleshed out.

But it was a fast read and the mystery was interesting.

It was an OK read. The first part of the book (basically half of it) bored me to death. Nothing exciting happened in my opinion and I wanted to scream about how all the angel stuff was going to come pouring out.
Overall, the whole storyline reminds me of Twilight, a book I dislike.
It was better than Twilight though...

But yes, it was just an OK read.

*I wanted to scream about WHEN will all the angel stuff pop up / all the secrets become revealed? (hmm still not grammatically right but oh well)

I have a lot of mixed feelings about it. But overall, I thought it was a good choice to talk about.

Being a freshman YA writer and having read the book, I can see some of the readers' frustrations with the plot and relationship between Patch and Nora. But, I can also see how difficult it can be at times have to hold back because this is apparently a series. We aren't going to know everything about these two characters in the first book - - and there are still alot of unanswered questions (i.e., her dad's murder) which may be the actual main plot - who knows?

I also had a difficult time feeling the love between Patch and Nora - and I'm hoping this is something that will develop more in the next book. For me - Nora, whom we are told has never really liked any boy - is now mesmorized by Patch. Why? Just because he's hot and different? I kinda expected more - but again, more may be coming in Crescendo.

This is Becca's first book correct? Tremendous kudos go out to her first published book!

Yes. I do think she is a talented author. Let us give her our thanks for producing an entertaining read. *clapping*

I would recommend this book to my friends in fact I did recommend it to two of my friends. I think the relationship between patch and nora was very ehem steamy and very interesting. Patch was my favorite character for the simple fact that he is a bad boy and I love his dark personality. Also the mystery in the book kept me entertained and wondering. I am looking forward to the second book but have to wait till September!

Even though I didn't totally love it, hey! u got to give her credit!

What do you think now that you are done? Would you recommend this book to others?

I'm still not sure what to think, now that I'm done. It definately wasn't aweful, but it wasn't anything very special either. When I think about it, I feel like someone had taken the books Fallen by Lauren Kate, and Twilight by Stephenie Meyer, and sort of morphed them together, and this was the end result. Eh. I don't think I'd ever recommend the book as a "must read", but I would tell a friend that it is entertaining. I give it a 3.8/5

I really tried to like this book but I just couldn't. I feel that Nora began by not liking Patch and then just jumped into her feelings for him way too quickly. It just seemed a little too quick for me. Overall, I thought it had a lot of potential that just didn't come to fruition.

I went into this story having already guessed that it would play up certain stereotypes such as the plain girl and the alluring yet mysterious bad boy. However, I think that having already braced myself for such things prior to reading it allowed me to just enjoy the novel for what it was.

Is Hush, Hush a completely new and original idea? No but the author adds in elements (like Patch being a fallen angel) that helped made things more interesting. I think this book had a very interesting plot that kept you not only guessing but wanting more. I love novels that are fun and entertaining and just take you away from your regular and simple life for a short period of time.

Jessica wrote: "Maybe I missed the big picture, but why is the book called Hush Hush?

It's called Hush, Hush because there are a lot of secrets especailly those that Patch is keeping. The sequel is titled Crescendo which basically implies that things are getting louder (i.e we're going to find out more etc) I really like the titles and how they connect in such a way.

I read this back in the fall and found it ultimately very disappointing. It started out pretty well, but then it just completely fell apart. I also didn't sense any real chemistry between Nora & Patch (which is a REALLY dumb name). I wouldn't recommend it.

I agree, Melodie. Patch is a dumb name. I kept thinking of a small dog instead of a mysterious bad boy/fallen angel.

Angelena wrote: "I agree, Melodie. Patch is a dumb name. I kept thinking of a small dog instead of a mysterious bad boy/fallen angel."

Patch was his nickname because he was always getting into fights and needed to be "patched" up etc. I believe that's what it was anyways. His real name is going to be released in the second novel.

I liked this book quite a bit--more than I expected to, in fact. Two people I trust here--one friend and one that I follow--both gave the book very negative reviews. I read it despite their warnings.

What saved the book for me was Fitzpatrick's writing. She's very subtle, and she has a way with metaphor that blows me away. (I don't have my copy with me at the moment, I can supply quotes later.)

Reading your comments, a number of you didn't like the book because you couldn't connect with Nora. This is part of what I wrote in my review, and I think it applies here:

"Nora is remarkably self-contained. Dangerously so, in fact. Having lost my mother when I was a teen, I think I recognize some of what Nora is going through. Part of the reason that she's so blank as a character is (in my not-so-humble opinion) because she's holding herself together with all of her energy. If she truly expressed what she was thinking or feeling, it would come roaring out of her. That said, a character that tightly controlled can come off on the page as blank."

Patch even tells Nora in their first conversation that she feels she always has to be in control. (I don't think he says "control freak," but that's the implication.)

Edit--I almost forgot to add this--
Would I recommend this book to others? Yes. Just not all teenagers. I don't think this novel presents a good example of YA love--there's too much stalking and too little known about Patch's character and motives--but I would recommend it to teens and adults that are capable of enjoying the book for what it is and questioning it as well.

Overall I would say that this book was pretty good, but parts of it I didn't like.

Yeah...Same here I guess.

I loved this book, i read it a couple of weeks before i joined this site. I have read a lot of books and had only picked up my first sci-fi/fantasy kind of book a couple of months back. I really hope hush hush would become a film like the fallen series! I agree that you couldn't connect with Nora that much, but I agree with Nan I think it was written to be like that, but Patch is definitely a great character. Crescendo is supposed to be out soon, so looking forward to that.

I enjoyed this book, loved the tension, but what really hooked me was the mad guessing it caused me to do. I wanted to find out who or what was stalking Nora, attempting to kill her. I go into every book a I read with an open mind, as if I've never read another book like it. Some might try to compare this book to TWILIGHT, but really there is none. HUSH HUSH was a "good read" and had me flipping through pages late into the night.

I loved this book, and maybe I liked it because I went in with low expectations. The synopsis didn't pull me in, but I still decided to read it, and it was way better than expected. I especially enjoyed that the ending threw me for a loop, and that doesn't happen alot, it seems, with hyped up teen reads. I also agree with other responses before..."Why is it called Hush Hush.

Betsy wrote: "I loved this book, and maybe I liked it because I went in with low expectations. The synopsis didn't pull me in, but I still decided to read it, and it was way better than expected. I especially en..."

To Betsy and anyone else who's wondering

Yes I was wondering that too (Why it's called Hush Hush) and my sister just pointed out to me that since there were secrets in the story that, that is why it's called HUSH HUSH

I have to say that my reaction to Hush, Hush was very similar to that of Twilight: alternating between rolling my eyes at the unexplainable (and can we say ridiculous)magnet between the two main characters and sitting on the edge of my seat for the same reason!
I agree with the comments above that Becca Fitzpatrick's (BF) strong point might not be in character development. None of the characters ever really round out. Outside of a few forgettable details about each one, we never really find out who they are. And I have to say that Ms Green was an annoyingly convenient character. I understand what her function was for the story but I just didn't believe the facility with which she replaced Nora's therapist and her relationship with Patch was a bit of a stretch for me.
What BF excels at--and this really was to the detriment to the plot and dialogue--is bringing us in the moment. The tension between Patch and Nora is freaking palpable as the most innocent of touches seems to spark between them.
I have to say I was pretty frustrated at the end since it felt rushed and things wrapped up a little too neatly. If it is true that this is just the beginning of a series, I can see the justification in not divulging too much in the first book.

Wow, I sound like I hated the book. I really didn't. I read it the way I watch soap operas: knowing full well that there will be flaws but that the emotional experience will make it worth it.

I just finished this one, wasn't that impressed. If this is a beginning of a series like Gina says I don't think I will read the rest. I gave it 2 stars.

I really liked this book, i read it pretty fast actually. i think that was because i kept thinking the truth was going to come but i understand that since its a series she cant just tell it all in the first book. im looking forward to the next book. :)

This book was a completely brain-dead read for me. It had no point, and the whole book was basically Nora saying, "Patch is scary but I want him anyway." Spineless protagonist, anyone? The end seemed so predictable, and the characters were ridiculously black-and-white.

Mystictuna wrote: "I thought it was a okay


---SPOILER!!------


---SPOILER!!------



Something I wasn't quite sure of when reading the book,

Since jules is chauncy and nora is a decendant of him wouldn't that me..."

So true... maybe Patch and Nora are related?

Jessica wrote: "It is just my copy or is Chapter 22 not in everyone's book?"

Hummm.. not sure about this?

I finally got this book from the library a few days ago. I had been on hold for MONTHS.. since we voted for it. Geeze. Sooooo my thoughts on it. I thought it was good but not great. I read it really fast though. But I felt like there should have been more about the angels. It read more like a romance to me with a little mystery to it.

I actually thought the book was going to go back and forth between the past and the present but apparently not. I was really interested in the past myself. Little too much of this weird sexuality to me. Do it or don't do it.

A lot of YA books lately seem to have the parents disappearing off somewhere... in order for the teens to be living at home along. What is it with that? I feel like that type of plot line is being repeated over and over.

I also kinda didn't like that Nora never really acted surprised or scared that there were angels and nephlin walking amoung us. I think I would've been really surprised by that!

I agree with Michelle. This was one of those quick read novels that I actually didn't mind reading.

I thought this book was okay, I couldn't put it down when I was reading it. However, like some others said, the characters weren't very well developed and I wanted to scream at Nora, it was completely unrealistic, her unwillingness to seperate herself from Patch. I mean, seriously, there are ways to make sure you don't sit next to each other, once you realize he knows your deepest darkest secrets after never talking to you, ever.


@Angie, I understand what you are saying about the parents disappearing off somewhere, but that seriously happens quite a lot now days in real life. More and more, teens are just left to do whatever they want, no parental structure, nothing. So, it is annoying, but I didn't find it too unrealistic. But, that's just my point of view.

OH! I also thought it was odd that there were two main "bad guys" to the story, and not just one. Is that just me, or is that a little odd?

I liked the first and second book, but after the second i stopped reading it, i started reading the third but i think it was just forced, Nora became crazy for that blue potion, acting like a caveman for most of the book, i liked the relationship between her and Patch, but i think the third book was just forced. Anyway, the books are still great